Tank construction



Sept. 4, 1945.- E. J. BALLINTINE TANK CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 19, 1943 5 sheets-sheet 1l LMER c/.BRLL/NT/Ns Kiwa Armen/Ey Sept. 4', 1945. E..|.` BALLINTINE l TANK coNsTRUcTIVoN Filed Nov. 19, 1943 -I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MEQ BH4 UvT/NE www Sept. 4, 1945.

E. J. BALLINTINE TANK CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov'. 19. 1943 5 sheets-sheet s Patented Sept. 4, 1945 fl" 1 t *A i `Eimer Jfa'llinune, 'ragntnngrl,fassignr to,

Pittsburgh Plate Glass CnpannH-Allegheny County, Pa., a corporation oilennsylvania l L ..3 Application November 19, 1943, Serial 5105933.' .aclantis .tclgz'oi ff The present invention relates to the construc-l tional view of `a tank 'constructed in accordance tion of tanks or containers for substances which withtlreprovi'sionof the invention. f A are of corrosive nature or which are easily con- Figs-Zus -a 'sectional view-talz-en` substantially taminated by Contact with surfaces of many of upon'-thelineII-II of Figll. i Y l thel conventionalconstruction materials, and it 51' Fig. 3 is a vfragmentary plan View of a corner has .particular relation to tanks or containers aso 'f construction shown'in Fig'. l.l 4 I sembled from plates of glass. v is yasectionalvview Vtaken substantially One object of 4the invention is to provide im- Upnthe line IV-r-VnFg. 3.l

proved-means for sealing the joints of tanks or Figli-is a fragmentary perspective VeWOf the containers of the foregoing type f 10 corner at 'the junction between vthe bottom and A second object is to provide improvedrneans tWG COlltigllu Side Walls 0f 'the tinkf "r j for accurately and permanently aligning or Fig.v 'Gfisairagmentary Sectional V1 cW takenpiumbing the glass plates empioyed in the con'- svubstantiallyupcn the A1in@ VI-VI 0f Fle- 5 struction of the tanks or containers.' fl'igslf'and--8 iare'detailedI views of the sealing These and other `objects of the invention will 16l *lment it 'thelunctures of angles between two be'apparent from consideration of the following 51de Walls and the bttOm 0f wcoltame' Specification and the appended @hmm Y In a container constructed 4inaCcordance with 1thaschretofbre been proposed to Construct the provisions of *the invention sidewallsltanks or' containers of relatively large size from H.' of 'rel'aftvely heawuglajsfl" gu mch m he'aiy` plates of glass set up in such manner as 20 u llckneFs We afrangedln Suitableangulal rela' toprovide side walls.v The glass of course is t'mnfWWh'IeSPe/ttoaich otherfand preferably highly' resistant to most chemical agencies and rest upm asl'ml'alrlg'las 'bottom'plfge "2- These is therefore very durable, does not contaminate glass'- p13/tes 'mapejelther Ordmanly annealed the contents 4of the tanks and is easily cleaned. glass, "0? 'g1-ass. hlh has. been' .tempered `by sl,1d" However, 'considerable diiilculty has beenl ex'- 25 gerilflhfgfedsotg l. y l Y n ,v r l f t Somewhat difficult- .accurately and permanently understood and need not be further described.

Thefbottom'pla'teiZ may be supported upona 30 suitable. platformM-IB or it `may be supported by uitabl 'ace blocks-'ofA l ss whic hav en en? mVntlQn, 1t 1S proposed to Obvlate .the fore' gccuraastlelsslev'ledl in Aordegrat'o 4obtariln '-suiiieent gflgg dlmcultles: y 1 -1 bearir-rgof-allfblocks IWith the yunder-surfacev of Fn'stly, by providing seals for thecorners of the plated; Y the inkconsilstmg 0f narrow Stnps or bars 0f 35 The :side .walls l'o and Irl aramaintainedi-n glass; havlfng edges acculzately ground, to flt the vertical position by means of a framework, which cqpmguous faces of the 51de Walls so that' hqulds includesvertical columns M upon base I3 `and beare Sealed from escape, and th? hYdlauhC Presi? ing fsecuredtogether .by horizontal bars I6. The sur? 0f the Contents 0f the tanks 999.1' ate to press platforms-'and framework may be of Wood, reinthe sealing strips into close contact with the COQISQOUS f acffs 0f the glass 131331585; material. flhe horizontal bars lpreferalblyare se- SeCQnd1y, 1t 1s proposed t9 provlde uprlght c01- curedftogether at tnelcornersfof the construction umnscnstltutlng Supportmg -elements fOr the by:sarews.'l?l.or other-suitable fastening devices exterior o f the glass plates agalnst the hydraulic and screws are employed as indicated at :I8 to se'- pressure of the contents, wh1ch uprights are pro- 45 cure-the bars .to :the columns 1M.. As many co1- vided with through bolts. having. ,points adjust-A umns fand transverse fbars, as the size ofthe tank ably engaging the outer faces of the glass plates may' dictate, can :be employed. For purposes of to permit accurate alignment of the latter iny simplicity only iaminimum 4Pnumloer vare shown inany `desired position in order to obtain close and the drawings. -The `upper vedges of the glass to align the plateswith respect to each other. y

- Inl accordance with the provisions of the pres- 40 forced -concrete,:stee`l, y'or-'any other appropriate accurate t with the beveled edges of the sealing 50 plates flu amd-:l lmay ibe suitably protected by' i strips. wooden coping bars I9. y

For a better understanding of the inventionv As best shown in Fig. 2, the vertical edges of reference may now be had to the accompanying plates I0 and Il do not meet or abut, but are drawings in which llike numerals refer to like Substantially spaced to allow for movements of parts throughout -and in which Fig. 1 is an eleva- 55 the plates and for other purposes. The plates are maintained in spaned re1ationsnip with respect to the winner faces of the columns I4 by screw devices 2|, preferably of wood and having rounded ends 22 bearing against the outer faces of the glass plates I yand These wooden screws or bolts may be provided with handles 23 by meansof which they can be rotated to force the plates inwardly in a direction normal to the plates or to obtainbearing contacts of the ends of the screws with the plates.

The angles are sealed by means of sealing strips 24, preferably also of plate glass and having the edges thereof beveled as indicated at 26. 'I'hese beveled edge portions should be accurately ground to an exact fit with the inner surfaces of the glass plates I0 and Accurate tadjustment of the plates IU and Il', to obtain perfect'k contact with the beveled portions of the strips' 24, is facilitated by adjustment of the screws 2|. e

If desired the beveled edges 26 may bear against sealing gasketsv 21 of rubber or other relatively inert but elastic material. Ihe -use of sealing cements at the joints is also contemplated.

As shown in Figs. 5- and 6, the horizontal an,l gles of the tank may also be sealed by means` of similar sealing strips 28.

coming together in. an apexare sealed by means of a rosette-like device which may be triangula'r or hexagonal, though for purposes of representation it is shown as a hexagon 3|, which in section, as shown'in Figs. "I and 8, is aftruncated The three angles k 4and at the same time it requires a minimum of metallic parts.

Furthermore no metals or easily .Y corrocliblel substances are exposed to the action pyramid. This elementmay be pressed roughly to form from glass and then accurately ground or it may be a section ofa relativelythick plate appropriately cut and accurately ground to fit with corresponding ground edges of thesealing. strips 24 ande28. In maintaining strips 24, 28 and the rosette 3| in position, reliance is placed at least in part upon the hydrostatic pressure exerted against the faces thereof. However, if desired additional se.- curing means may Vbe employed.A For example, the rosette 3| may be formed with a screw threaded recess 32,` adaptedtoreceive a screw or bolt 34, preferably of wood or reinforced plastic hav-` ing a considerable degree of resilience. The lcorners of the plates l0 and Il, as well as the bot-` tom plate I2 at their common juncturefare clipped offv to provide a bearing surfaceupon which a triangular bearing plate 36 is adapted to rest. This plate is bored toA receive the lower extremity of the screw 34 and, as shown in Fig. 6, arresilient gasket 31 of -flber or the like-is dise` posed between the plate 36 and head 38- vof the bolt, in order to give a greater degree of resilence in the construction. y A 1 f As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, thebeveled edge portions of the rosette 3|, whenk the .latter `is drawn outwardly by the screwv 34, arepressed .firmly into engagement with the corresponding edges of the sealing strips 24 and 28,1thus se# curing the latter in position and also causing them to be pressed against the contiguous faces of the side walls I0 and II. l

In order to secure the upper extremities ofthe vertical sealing strips 24, suitable clamping devices may be employed if so desired. For purposes of illustration the constructionv best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 may be employed. In this construction the strips 24. project slightlyA of the contents ofthe container.

The forms of the invention herein shown and described are to be considered merely as representative.- It will be apparent to those skilled f in the art that numerous modifications may be made therein without departure from the spirit of rthe invention or the scope of the appended claims.

yWhat I claim is:

f1. A container construction comprising plates Y of glass constituting side walls, said plates being disposed in a supporting framework, screws extending through the framework and engagingV the outer faces of the plates constituting the side walls whereby the position of the plates\can be accurately adjusted and sealing strips for the angles between the plates, said vsealing strips comprising narrow glass bars yhaving the edges thereof accurately beveled to t the contiguous faces ofthe glass plates, the beveled edges constituting the-bearing surfaces of the strips, said sealing strips being held invposition at least in part 'by hydrostatic pressure of liquidsv in the container. e l l 2. `Ar container construction', comprising glass plates l arranged to constitutefside wallsand a bottom for the container, a framework surroundin'g the 'container and comprising vertical co1- umns, screws extending through the Verticalcolumnsy and having tips engaging Athe glass plates in order accurately to adjust the positions of the latter, the vertical edgesv of the verticalplates being in non-abutting relationship, sealing stripsy for Vthejangles between the plates, said'sealing strips vcomprising bars of glass having their edges accurately ground to t 4the contiguous faces of theglass plates, the ground edges constituting the Vbearing surfaces of the strips.

r3. A vcontainer comprising plates of glassidisposed in angular relation to each other constituting the walls of thecontainer, said plates'being ldisposed inA a supporting framework, sealing strips Vfor the angles between the plates'comprising lnarrow glass plates having the edges thereof accurately beveled to t`the contiguous faces ofthe glass plates constituting theside walls',v the beveledv edges constituting the bearing surfaces of the -strips and means engagingv the outer faces ofthe plates constituting the side wallsand being operable to moveV each wall with respect to the framework, said means being opf erative to admit of movement'of the wall inwardly or outwardly-in a direction normal tothe wall and without disturbing the position ofthe re-v maining walls. f Y

f v ELMERVJ. BAIMNTINE. 

